UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today condemned North Korea's latest missile test, and said talks on the crisis would be held on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting next week.

Guterres called on the North Korean leadership "to cease further testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and allow space to explore the resumption of sincere dialogue on denuclearization," read a statement by his spokesman.

The UN leader "condemns the launch" and said he will be discussing the situation "with all concerned parties in the margins of the upcoming high level week of the United Nations General Assembly."

North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific today, responding to new UN sanctions with what appeared to be its furthest-ever missile flight amid high tensions over its weapons programme.